Washer for garden hose couplings



Feb. 1, 1949. o. E. ANDRus l 2,460,407

' I WASHER FOR GARDEN HOSE COUPLINGS Filed nec. 1o, 194s,

4 Pfg/3.1.

Patented Feb. l, 1949 UNITED STATES FTENT vQFFICE wssnsn son GARDEN nosacoUrLINGs oma Anal-us, Auaaeea, Calif. Aepueaiineeember io, i945, serial No. 633,961

` (ci. 13s- 46) 6 Claims.

, I p This invention relates to a washer for garden hose coupling. Y f

The principal object of the invention is to provide a washer for garden hose couplings that serves as a control for the flow of water through the hose so as to predetermine the flow ofwater from the hose in some relation to the rate of diffusion of the water into the soil, without -requiring expensive nozzles'orf Valves for this purpose.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a washer Athat has an adjustable'restrioted passage therethrough capable of `'coritrolling the flow of water in the hose. 'l

V-lfinother object is to prevent clogging of the flow control means in the washerbyv dirtV in the water. v

Another object is to provide a washer that seals a hose coupling and also Vcontrols the ow of water through the hose. v y

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description of the invention as illustratedin the accompanying drawings. l

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an axial section through a hose and its coupling showing a washer in place;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged axial section through the washer of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front View of the washer of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. lshowing an adjustable washer;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged axial section through the washer of Fig. 4; Y v

' Fig. 6 is a` frontviewof the washer of Fig. 4;

Figl is a transverse section taken on line v'I- of Fig. 5 through the stem of the washer of Fig. fi;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. A5 of another con- Y struction for an adjustableA washer; and

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a garden hose system in usefor watering shrubs and plants and employing the washer of the'invention.

The hose I has an internally threaded female coupling member 2 secured to its end. The hose 3 has a corresponding externally threaded male coupling member i secured to its end and adapted to be threaded into the member 2 to fasten the two hoses I and 3 together.

A disc-like washer 5 having a circular rim 6 of rubber, soft metal or the like is disposed to seat between the end of member 4 and an internal shoulder 'I in member 2 to seal the coupling against leakage therefrom.

In carrying out the present invention, instead of constructing the washer 5 solely of a solid circular rubber ring, the rim 6 is preferably constructed of U-shaped cross section and, as shown, serves to coniine a metal, rubber or fiber disc t and an adjacent iilter member S and secure the same together. A separate rim S may be provided for disc 8 and another for lter 9 and function as the seal therefor and as a spacer between them, Where the disc 3 is of rubber or of the same material as rim 5, the disc may be formed integral with the rim and of substantially the same thickness.

YThe disc 8 has one or more small holes or slits constituting orices lil preferably near the center for the passage of water therethrough. Where a` single orice lil is employedat the center of the disc, the size of the orice determines the amount of water ilow, and washers having different size riiices may be supplied for selection in use 'so that the flow of water may be regulated in some relation to the water pressure in the system and the diffusion rate of the water in the ground.

The filter S is of suitable metal screening or organic material in the form of cloth or matted bers yand preferably has its outer edge conned in the rim 6 and its body spaced from disc 8. The lilter may be raised toward one side to space the face of the lter area from the disc 3 so as to provide substantial area for filtering without undesirable restriction of the flow to the orioe.

In positioning the washer 5 in the coupling, the ilter 9 should be disposed on the side of the disc S from which the water enters to pass through `the orifice I0.

The washer 5 may provide for'adjustment oi the orifice ID. For this purpose the construction illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6`and 'l is simple and satisfactory. A

The disc 8 has a central tubular projection II rwith a tapped hole therein for receiving and adjustingscrew I2. The head I3 of screw i2 has a long conical shoulder tting a corresponding complementary recess It in the outlet end of the projection Ii. One side of the threaded stem 0f screw l2 is led away to provide a channel Ill' for conducting water to the orifice or restricted outlet space between the head I3 and the corresponding recess in projection II.

A lter disc 9 is disposed hat against disc B' on the inlet side and the disc 8 is recessed at I5 around the hole therein to space the iilter from the disc and provide for the desired lter area.

The size of orice Ill' vdetermines the maximum water ow when screw I2 is in place, and the position of the head I3 in projection II determines the minimum water ow through the disc.

In the construction of Fig. 8 the tubular projection i i is eliminated and the disc s 4formed conically to one side about a central tapped hole therein for receiving a small screw l2' with a conical head i3 ttir'ig into the recess M.' in the side of the disc In this 'construction the end of screw i2 may protrude on the inlet side of the ,discV S and serve to maintain the filter 9 spaced from the disc. f l

The washer '5 is particularly useful in the watering of lawn shrubs andtrees in arid and semi-.arid regions where spray devices are generally unsatisfactory due to washing away ofthe soil and of fertilizer and to the personal attention required. l

In Fig. 9 the washer 5 is-shown in a ,coupling between the hose l and hose 3, and hose 3 is connected to the faucet i6 in the water supply .pipe

ll. of the Igroundbeneath a shrub i8.' The -faucet i6 is preferably wide open and washer 5 restricts the floor of water to shrub i8 to a small amount .capable of lsoaking into the ground and diffusing' around the roots I9 of the shrub without undesirable washing away of the more fertile top soil o r'o fertilizer.

The washer is of simple and low-cost con- Ihe outer end of hose l is positioned on top 3. A washer for sealinggarden hose connecstruction and it provides an easymeans for regu- V lating the now of water for irrigation purposes. t may be employed eitherin l'a coupling `between two sections of )hose or in acoupling between v -a hose-and -a pipe or faucet. f YThe invention may Vhave various embodimentsV 'within the scope of the accompanyingclaims.

I claim: Y Y 1. A washer or thelike jfor garden hose connections, comprising :a disc adapted to'be `con- .finedgin the-,connection V:transversely of the hose andhavingan oricezthereincontrolling the ow of water'therethrough, means carried Vby the disc to adjust ythe .size 'of ythe passage through zthe orilice for regulation of the Fflow of -Watena k*filter Ymember disposed-on the inlet-sideofsaid disc, and a resilient,circular'rim-meinber confining the `corresponding adjacent edge'portions of saiddisc and iilter to `hold the same in place and seal the connection against leakage.

"2. A washeror .the Vlike for garden hose convnections, comprising a disc adapted'toibegcom iined in the connectionftransversely,of'theihose and having an orifice therein controlling the "ilow'of'water therethrough, a lter Vmember dis- `posed on the-inlet side'of said-disc, and'a resilient circular rim member confining Ithe corresponding adjacent edge portions of said-disc and filter to hold the same in place, .the central portion of said filter member 'and disc being spaced apart I'to provide a filter areazsubstantially.larger thanthe orifice in the disc.

through the hose, said disc having a tubular projection to one side thereof about said restricted passage, a threaded member in said projection and providing an adjustment for said, passage, and a filteren theside of said disc opposite said projection, said ydisc having a-,recess in its side spacing the lter therefromvand providing a substantial lter area around said passage.

4. A washer or the like forgarden hose connections, comprising a discradapted to be confined' in the connection transversely of the hose Iand having an orice therein controlling the flow of water therethrough, a lter member disposed in spaced relation to said orifice on the inlet side thereof with the margin of the lter disposed adjacent the margin of ljsaid disc, and a resilient crcularrim member confining the corresponding adjacent edge vportions of said disc and filter uto hold the samein fplace, andrsealV the connection against leakage.A

y5. A'washer ,or the like for ,threaded garden vhose couplings, comprising a conical stamped zmetalydischaving a central orifice therethrough 4and an outer marginal edge Viiange normal tothe Aaxis thereof, 1a lfilter disc .disposed adjacent said flange and extending across the base of the conical disc in spaced relation to saidY orifice, and

.means securingthe adjacent marginal edge por- -tions of said disc and nlterftogether to constitute a washer unit' adapted to be Vconiinedbetvveen the -tl'ireadedfmembers of `a coupling Vand to sealthe .coupling :against leakage.

6. A sealing washer for a threaded hose connecti'on,comprising aidisc-having a central orifice and-having arresilient marginal-:edge portion extending in a plane normal to'theaxis ci the disc .and adapted -to .be clamped between lthreaded r'members ,of theconnection to'secure the disc in place, and means carriedby the disc to prevent clogging or said orifice in use.-V Y

e ORRIN E. ANDRUS.

YitnrnianivCEs CITED The following references are of record in the rile-of this patent: 

